Pierrot le fou (1965)

Director:

Jean-Luc Godard

Writer:

Jean-Luc Godard (writer)

Release Date:

8 January 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Pierrot escapes his boring society and travels from Paris to the Mediterranean Sea with Marianne, a girl chased by hit-men from Algeria. They lead an unorthodox life, always on the run.

Plot Keywords:

On The Run | Mediterranean Sea | Party | Smuggling | Babysitter

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Ferdinand Griffon, 'Pierrot' (as Jean Paul Belmondo)
Anna Karina	...	Marianne Renoir
Graziella Galvani	...	La femme de Ferdinand

Also Known As:

Pierrot le fou (UK) (USA)
Crazy Pete
Il bandito delle 11 (Italy) (alternative spelling)
Il bandito delle ore undici (Italy)
Il bandito delle undici (Italy)
Pierrot Goes Wild

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Films Georges de Beauregard

Trivia:

Director Jean-Luc Godard allegedly shot the film without a script. See also À bout de souffle (1960).

Quotes:

Ferdinard: I'm glad I don't like spinach, because if I did then I would eat it, and I can't stand the stuff.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Dreamers (2003)

Soundtrack:

Jamais je ne t'ai dit que je t'aimerai toujours

Cinema d'auteur all the way!!! Thanks for existing, Godard!!!

This is one of the truly great revolutionary movie experiences of all times. "Pierrot Le Fou" represents what was perhaps the most difficult moment of Godard's controversial career: he was fighting and struggling for make a not commercial movie, something almost impossible with the presence of Belmondo (you have to consider the huge success that this actor had at the time) and a important figure of international cinema such as Dino De Laurentiis being responsible for the distribution of the movie at the time of it's original release. And yet he wanted to put on the screen (well, actually WIDESCREEN) all his questions about cinema, politic, marxism, literature, music and pop culture; well, all the questions that he had at that time. And even with all those problems he was able to make a masterpiece, one of his best and most accessible moments. For those of you who have seen the movie, imagine only this (in a allegoric way): Pierrot's Italian wife is the dangerous commercial international production represented by De Laurentiis, Anna Karina's role represents the nouvelle vague, Samuel Fuller is Samuel Fuller and Belmondo's existential search is Godard's own doubts about the possibilities of cinema. One of the best things that Godard has ever done, "Pierrot Le Fou" is a landmark for the avant-garde cinema that we all love. Now I could spend hours talking about the strange beauty of Anna Karina, the magnificent photography in widescreen Techniscope (utilized at it's limits), the great use that Godard makes of his ironic narrative and ALL the wonders of this movie, but all that I'm going to say is this:

LONG LIVE GODARD!!!